47% of households own gun

[spidey07]

According to a gallup poll and sales are still increasing. The mad rush around election time in 2008 has died down and yet people are still arming themselves. The bit about women arming themselves also warms the heart.

Is it the impending class war/riots or just the economy causing this? One thing's for certain, Obama has been great for the firearm industry.

http://www.newser.com/story/134863/why-gun-sales-are-at-record-high.html

This year's Black Friday gun sales broke a record set in 2008 by nearly a third, and while fears about President Obama outlawing some types of firearms are thought to be behind 2008's record, analysts say this year's surge in sales is part of a long-term trend. Gun ownership was "politically incorrect" five years ago, but "what seems to be changing is social acceptance," an analyst at investment firm Avondale Partners tells MSNBC. "I think there might be a changing view of firearms."

Every state except Illinois now allows residents to carry concealed weapons, and a recent Gallup poll found that 47% of American households own a gun, up from 41% just a year ago. Analysts say the number of first-time gun buyers and women buying guns has been rising for several years, with handguns selling especially well. The director of communications at the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, however, says this year's surge is sales is a "one-time event" which may be "the result of marketing."

 

[Thump553]

How could a massive infusion of deadly weapons be a cause for celebration? That's sick.

 

[Agfadoc]

<<< Celebrating!

1.&#8221;A free people ought to be armed.&#8221;
~George Washington


2.&#8221;To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them&#8230;&#8221;
~Richard Henry Lee


3.&#8221;The right of self-defense is the first law of nature; in most governments it has been the study of rulers to confine this right within the narrowest possible limits. &#8230; and [when] the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any color or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction.&#8221;
~St. George Tucker


4.&#8221;[The Constitution preserves] the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation (where) the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.&#8221;
~James Madison


5.&#8221;Firearms are second only to the Constitution in importance; they are the peoples&#8217; liberty&#8217;s teeth.&#8221;
~George Washington

 

[soundforbjt]

The people are arming themselves to go after the 1&#37;.

 

[umbrella39]

Is it the impending class war/riots or just the economy causing this?

LOL, your canned food, guns, and the bunker you have dug under your bed won't protect you if your nightly wet dream comes true! You aren't smart enough to survive...

 

[Agfadoc]

The people are arming themselves to go after the 1%.

Well, the 1% is buying too, and paying the 2-15% to protect them from the other 85%, who can barely afford two guns and a few bullets.

But hey, who's counting..

 

[MotF Bane]

How could a massive infusion of deadly weapons be a cause for celebration? That's sick.

Protip: guns don't kill people...

 

[umbrella39]

<<< Celebrating!

^^^ Cookie!

 

[Agfadoc]

LOL, your canned food, guns, and the bunker you have dug under your bed won't protect you if your nightly wet dream comes true! You aren't smart enough to survive...

Oh.. It takes smarts? You mean like a Masters degree in Journalism or a Liberal Arts degree? Will that help me grow a garden? Fight off the hordes? Hahahaa!

 

[thraashman]

Protip: guns don't kill people...

Well if you want to be semantic it's the blood loss and organ damage from the impact and penetration of a bullet that was fired from a gun, that kills people.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

It is neither "the impending class war/riots" (do you really believe that nonsense?) nor "the economy causing this." It is a function of the fact that many gun enthusiasts believe, despite no evidence to the contrary, that President Obama will take some action to limit gun rights. Despite President Obama doing no such thing at any time, the underlying idea seems to be that as a lame-duck President in a second term he might change his course.

This is strictly an emotional reaction, in that a) President Obama has never demonstrated any inclination he might actually try to limit gun rights; and b) there is no way any gun control measure would make it through our current Congress. That being said, it's a good way for the NRA and the gun industry to get people whipped up, and thus infuse money into the gun industry in an economy which has left many American strapped for disposable income. I find it curious that people act so emotionally, en masse, for no clear reason, but that's human nature.

 

[Agfadoc]

Gun facts for the Libertarian:
http://www.rmgo.org/images/GunFacts4-2-Press.pdf

The goal of Gun Facts is to provide a quick reference guide for civil libertarians on gun control
issues. Use Gun Facts when composing arguments for debates, letters to editors, email to your
representatives, and statements to the media.
The issue Gun Facts addresses is the lack of intellectual honesty by gun control advocates. Over
many decades they have presented information to the media and the public that is at best
inaccurate, and at worst fraudulent. Gun Facts is dedicated to debunking gun control myths and
providing citable evidence.
Common gun control myths are listed in the pages that follow. For each myth, one or more facts
are presented to refute the gun control claim, and the source of the information is fully cited.

 

[Throckmorton]

I don't care what the reason is. This is a good thing. If I could afford it I would own a gun.

 

[Agfadoc]

Another good thing is you have the right to own a gun.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Gun facts for the Libertarian:
http://www.rmgo.org/images/GunFacts4-2-Press.pdf

The goal of Gun Facts is to provide a quick reference guide for civil libertarians on gun control
issues. Use Gun Facts when composing arguments for debates, letters to editors, email to your
representatives, and statements to the media.
The issue Gun Facts addresses is the lack of intellectual honesty by gun control advocates. Over
many decades they have presented information to the media and the public that is at best
inaccurate, and at worst fraudulent. Gun Facts is dedicated to debunking gun control myths and
providing citable evidence.
Common gun control myths are listed in the pages that follow. For each myth, one or more facts
are presented to refute the gun control claim, and the source of the information is fully cited.

Are you citing this for any particular purpose? If so you might want to pull it out and quote it, rather than asking people to review a voluminous PDF which was, on its face, created as a gun rights advocacy document. No doubt gun control advocates can post links to talking points which support them as well - it doesn't really add anything to the discussion.

 

[spidey07]

It is neither "the impending class war/riots" (do you really believe that nonsense?) nor "the economy causing this." It is a function of the fact that many gun enthusiasts believe, despite no evidence to the contrary, that President Obama will take some action to limit gun rights. Despite President Obama doing no such thing at any time, the underlying idea seems to be that as a lame-duck President in a second term he might change his course.

This is strictly an emotional reaction, in that a) President Obama has never demonstrated any inclination he might actually try to limit gun rights; and b) there is no way any gun control measure would make it through our current Congress. That being said, it's a good way for the NRA and the gun industry to get people whipped up, and thus infuse money into the gun industry in an economy which has left many American strapped for disposable income. I find it curious that people act so emotionally, en masse, for no clear reason, but that's human nature.

You can't be serious or believe that. He's had a consistent record of being against gun ownership/rights. Just google "obama anti-gun record".

 

[Texashiker]

How could a massive infusion of deadly weapons be a cause for celebration? That's sick.

I am pretty sure smoking contributes to more deaths every year then firearms.

As for the 47%, that number seems a little low.

 

[Agfadoc]

Are you citing this for any particular purpose? If so you might want to pull it out and quote it, rather than asking people to review a voluminous PDF which was, on its face, created as a gun rights advocacy document. No doubt gun control advocates can post links to talking points which support them as well - it doesn't really add anything to the discussion.

I posted it as reference to help others.. Is that a problem? Did I not ask proper permission? Is that your response as to why I shouldn't post it for other to see?

You trying to shut down opposition or something?

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

You can't be serious or believe that. He's had a consistent record of being against gun ownership/rights. Just google "obama anti-gun record".

You didn't read what I said. I know he supports gun control. That said, he has taken no action to limit gun rights and there is no reason to think he could or would. The whole thing is just a straw man raised by the NRA and gunmakers, who no doubt love the paranoia that is giving them so much business.

For what it's worth I am a gun owner and recreational shooter and don't support most gun control measures, but I find the hysteria of the NRA and people like you hilarious.

 

[Agfadoc]

"People like YOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUU"

 

[Throckmorton]

I don't really understand why a lot of liberals still cling to the anti-gun stuff. I'm talking about actually being opposed to citizens owning guns, not the sensible restrictions like registration.

The right to bear arms stems from the right to self defense which is a universal human right, regardless of what the Constitution says. Criminals have guns, governments have guns, the 1&#37; has guns. That means we have the right to own guns to protect ourselves from these entities when the need arises. If this was 500 BC, we'd have the right to own bronze swords. If it was 2350AD, we'd have the right to own phasers.

 

[Texashiker]

You didn't read what I said. I know he supports gun control. That said, he has taken no action to limit gun rights and there is no reason to think he could or would.

Obama has not taken action on gun control because he knows where it would get him - nowhere.

With so much other stuff going on, if obama even mentions gun control, he will probably get laughed out of office.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I posted it as reference to help others.. Is that a problem? Did I not ask proper permission? Is that your response as to why I shouldn't post it for other to see?

You trying to shut down opposition or something?

Jeez - cool your jets. I am not your "opposition," nor did I take any measure to shut you down.

What about this topic called for a "reference" like that one? The topic is about the ongoing spike in gun sales, not about the prudency of enacting more gun control measures (which, as I just posted, I oppose). I just don't see how you added anything to the discussion by posting a link to a massive advocacy piece. It's no different than a pro-gun control poster linking to some ginormous PDF of the conclusions and recommendation of James Brady - it adds nothing without at least pulling out the facts you want to cite to.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Obama has not taken action on gun control because he knows where it would get him - nowhere.

With so much other stuff going on, if obama even mentions gun control, he will probably get laughed out of office.

You're just reinforcing my point. I don't think we're in disagreement. It's precisely because he can't and won't enact gun control legislation that the NRA's hysteria is so silly. Wayne LaPierre is actually going around saying that President Obama's inaction on tightening gun laws is part of a "massive Obama conspiracy" to take away our Second Amendment rights - http://www.rawstory.com/rawreplay/2011/09/nra-claims-massive-obama-conspiracy-not-to-ban-guns/

If you like guns, great - I like them too. But if people are buying them based on this kind of drivel, they're suckers.

 

[lord_emperor]

I hope this starts to spill over into Canada soon.